Slovak Parliament has voted against a bill that would have restricted access to abortion in the country.

The bill, proposed by the leading parliamentary group back in July, proposed a number of amendments into various Slovak laws concerning, among others, reproductive care and social support. One such proposed change was the prolongation of the mandatory waiting period from 48 hours to 96 hours, which would in turn jeopardize women’s ability to access safe, legal abortion services. Another proposed modification was a requirement for additional information to be collected for “statistical purposes,” including a reason for having the procedure and a detailed description of the woman’s domestic situation. The decision to have an abortion is often a very personal and private matter, and this could deter women from seeking care within the formal health system. Moreover, the draft legislation included a requirement that abortions on health grounds and abortions on the grounds of fetal impairment only be provided upon obtaining two medical opinions, as opposed to one as required at present. The bill also would have restricted doctors’ ability to provide evidence-based information about abortion care and where women can access lawful abortion.

Proposed legislation has attracted international attention, with numerous organizations taking a stand in order to show solidarity and support for Slovak women – i.e. an open letter signed by over 100 NGOs, including the Reproductive Health Training Center of the Republic of Moldova, was issued in September.

Results of the vote can be accessed here.[:]